IRS Grants Relief From Low-Income Housing Credit Requirements Following Oklahoma Tornado

The Internal Revenue Service is suspending certain requirements under § 42 of the Internal Revenue Code for low-income housing credit projects to provide emergency housing relief needed as a result of the devastation caused by severe storms and tornadoes in the State of Oklahoma that occurred between May 18, 2013, and May 27, 2013 (hereafter, the Tornadoes). This relief is being granted pursuant to the Service's authority under § 42(n) and § 1.42-13(a) of the Income Tax Regulations. This notice should be read with Notice 2013-39, I.R.B. 2013-25 (June 17, 2013), which suspends certain requirements under § 142(d) for qualified residential rental projects financed with exempt facility bonds under § 142 to provide emergency housing relief due to the Tornadoes.

BACKGROUND

On May 20, 2013, the President issued a major disaster declaration for the State of Oklahoma because of the devastation caused by the Tornadoes. The President issued the declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. Subsequently, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated jurisdictions for Individual Assistance. Because of the damage to housing caused by the Tornadoes, the Service has determined that state housing agencies (Agencies) may provide approval to project owners in their respective states to provide temporary emergency housing for displaced individuals in accordance with this notice. For purposes of this notice, the term "displaced individual" means an individual who resided in a jurisdiction designated for Individual Assistance and who has been displaced because his or her residence was destroyed or damaged as a result of the Tornadoes. The Service has also determined that the projects to which this approval may be given may be located in any state, regardless of whether a major disaster declaration with Individual Assistance has been issued for that state.

I. SUSPENSION OF INCOME LIMITATIONS

The Service has determined that it is appropriate to temporarily suspend certain income limitation requirements under § 42 for certain qualified low-income housing projects. The suspension will apply to low-income housing projects which are approved by the Agency with jurisdiction over the project (the applicable Agency) and in which vacant units are rented to displaced individuals. The applicable Agency will determine the appropriate period of temporary housing for each project, not to extend beyond May 31, 2014 (temporary housing period).

II. STATUS OF UNITS

III. SUSPENSION OF NON-TRANSIENT REQUIREMENTS

The non-transient use requirement of § 42(i)(3)(B)(i) shall not apply to any unit providing temporary housing to a displaced individual during the temporary housing period determined by the applicable Agency.

IV. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

All other rules and requirements of § 42 will continue to apply during the temporary housing period established by the applicable Agency. After the end of the temporary housing period, the applicable income limitations contained in § 42(g)(1), the available unit rule under § 42(g)(2)(D)(ii), the nontransient requirement of § 42(i)(3)(B)(i), and the requirement to make reasonable attempts to rent vacant units to low-income individuals shall resume. If a project owner offers to rent a unit to a displaced individual after the end of the temporary housing period, the displaced individual must be certified under the requirements of § 42(i)(3)(A)(ii) and § 1.42-5(b) and (c) to be a qualified low-income tenant. To qualify for the relief in this notice, the project owner must additionally meet all of the following requirements:

The owner must also certify the date the displaced individual began temporary occupancy and the date the project will discontinue providing temporary housing as established by the applicable Agency. The certifications and recordkeeping for displaced individuals must be maintained as part of the annual compliance monitoring process with the Agency.

EFFECTIVE DATES

This notice is effective May 20, 2013.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

The collection of information contained in this notice has been reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507) under control number 1545-2244.

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number.

The collection of information in this notice is in the section titled "OTHER REQUIREMENTS" under "(3) Certifications and Recordkeeping." This information is required to enable the Service to verify whether individuals are displaced as a result of the Tornadoes and thus warrant temporary housing in vacant low-income housing units. The collection of information is required to obtain a benefit. The likely respondents are individuals and businesses.

The estimated total annual recordkeeping burden is 300 hours.

The estimated annual burden per recordkeeper is approximately 15 minutes. The estimated number of recordkeepers is 1200.

Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained as long as their contents may become material to the administration of the internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.

DRAFTING INFORMATION

The principal author of this notice is David Selig of the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Passthroughs & Special Industries). For further information regarding this notice, contact Mr. Selig at (202) 622-3040 (not a toll-free call).